A zone-by-zone spring tune-up you can do in an afternoon
Walk each sprinkler zone with a notepad, fix the easy things and flag the rest. Repairs start at $95; a full start-up is $175 to $225.
Short answer: with a notepad, a small screwdriver and an afternoon, you can walk every zone, find most of the common problems and fix the simple ones yourself. The rest you flag for a professional. Sprinkler repair on our price list starts at $95, and a full spring start-up is $175 to $225.
Before you start
Check the weather for a stretch without frost and wait for the lawn to wake up. Then collect:
- A notepad, or the notes app on your phone
- Marking flags or a handful of golf tees
- A small flat screwdriver
- An old toothbrush for clogged nozzles
- Gloves
Make a rough sketch of your yard and number the zones as the controller lists them.
The walk, zone by zone
Run one zone at a time from the controller. Stand in the yard and watch it from start to finish.
- Do all the heads pop up? Mark any that stay down or rise slowly.
- Is the spray pattern even? A weak or lopsided spray often means a clogged nozzle. Take the nozzle off, rinse it, and clear it with the brush.
- Is any head tilted or sunken? Straighten it, or dig around it and reset it level with the grass.
- Where does water land? Sidewalks, driveways and the house wall should stay dry. Turn the arc or the radius screw to fix overspray.
- Are there gaps? Dry or brown patches between heads show missing coverage.
- Is anything bubbling up? Water rising from the ground is a break in the line below, and it is not a DIY fix.
- Is the zone as strong as the others? A zone that looks weak next to the rest may have a leak somewhere you cannot see.
Mark every problem with a flag and write down the zone and what you saw.
What you can fix, and what to leave
| Finding | DIY? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Clogged nozzle | Yes | Rinse or replace |
| Head tilted or sunken | Yes | Reset level |
| Overspray onto pavement | Yes | Adjust arc and radius |
| Snapped head, riser intact | Often | Swap the head |
| Water bubbling from the ground | No | Line damage |
| Zone will not start | No | Valve, wire or controller |
| Several zones dead together | No | Often a wire |
Checks that do not need a zone run
- Look at the controller. After a winter, the date, time and program may be wrong.
- Check the battery in the controller if it has one.
- Find each valve box and see that the lid is on and nothing has grown into it.
- Look at the rain sensor, if you have one, and clear leaves and dirt from it.
Setting the schedule
Spring needs much less water than summer. Start with a light schedule and raise it as heat builds. Remember Georgia's watering hours: on a permitted public water system, outdoor landscape watering is allowed only between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m., per Georgia EPD, with exemptions such as drip irrigation and new plantings for 30 days. Your water provider may add local limits.
Why we find the cause
When a zone misbehaves, the easy answer is to replace parts until it stops. We find the cause instead. That is why our crew walks the whole zone, not just the head you pointed at, and why we stop and tell you before doing anything we could not see. Valve replacement runs $275 to $1,200 by type and size, and locating a buried valve is from $185, so finding the real fault first keeps money from going to parts that were fine.
When to call us
Call when you find a break, a dead zone, a valve you cannot locate, or a controller that will not hold a schedule. You will find what we handle on our irrigation page and every price on the pricing page. Or request a quote and bring your notes.
FAQ
How long does a DIY zone walk take? Plan on an afternoon for a typical yard, since each zone has to run long enough for you to look at every head.
What is the most common spring problem? Heads that are clogged, tilted or broken by winter work and lawn equipment. Most are quick fixes.
Should I replace all my nozzles? Not unless they are worn or the spray is poor after cleaning. Replace only what you find failing.
Is a professional spring start-up worth it? It is worth it for older systems, a hard winter, or a weak zone you cannot explain. A start-up costs $175 to $225.
Prices from our price list. Updated October 2026. Watering hours and exemptions from Georgia EPD (epd.georgia.gov) and UGA Extension Circular C995.